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He was over the gate at once, and Rose had seized his hand as if she had known him for ever, so strong a trust rose from her fear. could have kissed him already, because he came to help Sandy; but she did not even thank him, her breathless speed was such.

'Whaur's the laddie?' asked the gangrel. 'On a tree, and the branch is breaking.' That was all they said. But without slackening his speed, the man untied his bundle and let his scanty gear drop and lie upon their path. Then he twisted the plaid that held it into a long rope; then drew off his ragged coat and fastened one sleeve to the plaid. Rose noticed this, but she did not ask him why.

When they came to the fir wood, she left his hand aud rushed to the foot of the tree. 'Here's a kind man,' shouted Rose, 'O Sandy, he'll help you.'

"Eh laddie, but ye'se sair spent; bide a wee, wee langer, and we'se hac ye safe.'

The gangrel was fastening his plaid to a branch of the nearest tree-a strong branch which projected six feet from the ground. The man was sinewy and tall, grey-haired, and aged as he looked; and Rose's confidence grew stronger, as she watched his unhesitating motions. As for poor Maggie, all her heart was in her eyes; she never once took them from the face she had dared to call bad.

It was but a minute till the man was with both hands holding out his coat, holding it high up, right under Sandy.

'Gie a jump noo, laddie, and bring the branch sae far wi' ye. This auld tatter o' mine 'ill aye break your fa'. Lippen to me, laddie, dinna be feared,' for Sandy still clung to the branch, and looked half fearfully down, 'thae hands o' mine are strong enough yet to hand mair than the like o' ye.'

"Trust the kind man, Sandy,' shouted Rose and Maggie at once, and Sandy with a swing brought down the branch, and dropped through the coat of the gangrel. For the old worn garment was rent by the weight; but Sandy came softly down, and stood on the kindly moss with his sisters' arms thrown round him.

And then both with one consent rushed close to Sandy's saviour, and each got a soiled work-worn hand, and hugged it, and covered it with kisses.

Eh, my braw, wee lasses, but ye maun leave me alane, for I'm just an auld labouring man, an' this is ower muckle,―ower muckle.

But tears of soft pleasure gathered in his

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But the man shook his head.

'Naebody wants me now, I was ower late o' coming, and the fields are fu' already. Ay, I maun gang hame, but no' to your hame, my winsome, bonnie bairnie.'

'My father will let you work,' spoke Sandy, who was somewhat unready of speech, but whose big heart was full of gratitude, he was eager to show if he could.

And I must tell you something,' protested Rose again, clinging carressingly to the brown

hand she held.

'Tell me, then, my wee lassie,' said the gangrel, leaning on the trunk of a tree, and looking, (Maggie afterwards said to Rose,) like one of the angels come down in a beggar-man's disguise.

But Rose could not tell him then. She blushed and held down her head; for she was thinking her own thought over, 'His mercy endureth for ever.'

At last she said very low, 'It was about that psalm; we heard you saying it to yourselfbehind the hedge, you know. And that was why I came to you, when Sandy was up on the tree, for I knew you were a good man and would help us if you could. But why did you say that psalm? you couldn't know anybody heard you-why did you say about "His mercy" when you were so wearied and poor?'

'Ye are but a bairn,' said the wayfarer, in a solemn tone low as her own, and ye cannot ken better till ye've crossed mair howes and knowes. But I aye maun have my psalm of mercy when my heart is getting wae; for mercy's abune a', bairn,-mercy's abune a'. And it's when I canna see it, I need most to sing it to mysel'. The blue lift's aye abune us, though we whiles canna see it for the clouds.'

Then there was silence except for the low, wind-whisper in the firs; for Rose could not speak, nor could Sandy nor Maggie either. The stranger spoke again:

'Ye'll never see me mair, bairns; ye'll tak' a word from ane that has travelled life a lang gate. Ye have lippened weel to me, I bless ye

BIBLE QUESTIONS.

for the trust. It will make my heart the lighter, wherever it is laid this night. Lippen better to Christ, for there's nane sae strong as Him, and there's nane sae kind, bairns-O there's nane sae kind. And think ye He is not glad to help us when we pray to Him, that He is not glad to save us,-glad, glad.'

'How good you are,' said Maggie, looking penitently in Robin's face. For Robin was the old man's name, though the children did not know it.

'Na, na!' said Robin, with a look of pain upon his brow, and he shook his grey head sorrowfully and took his way once more.

But Sandy ran home in haste to tell of all that had happened, and his father himself went after old Robin, and brought him back to the farm.

And they gave him a little cottage to live in all his life, not far from the five-barred gate where Rose and Maggie went for Molly. And they gave him Molly for his own, and brought his daughter home, to tend old Robin and the white-faced cow, which Rose and Maggie thought their best gift.

Rose would come often and read to him in winter and summer noons, and always when she chose the psalm, 'twas the 136th she chose. 'Because, you know,' she would say, 'tis my psalm and yours, Robin.'

And Robin knew what she meant, and would smile from his ingle seat.

As for Maggie, she never wearied in her penitent grateful love. She hovered like a sunbeam round the cottage under the elm. And one autumn evening she brought the Bible to Robin's knee, and pointed with her finger to a verse and said:

That always looks meant for me.' 'What is it my wee lass, for my e'en are dim?'

Judge not according to the appearance,

but

judge righteous judgment.

John vii. 24.

H. W. H. W.

BIBLE QUESTIONS.

THR

107

HREE Prizes, in each of the two divisions, are offered for the largest number of correct answers. The Prizes to be awarded in December 1873. The following are the conditions:

1. In the first, or Junior division, the questions for which will be printed first in order; competitors not to be above thirteen years of age.

2. In the second, or Senior division, competitors not to be above eighteen years of age; and in both divisions the answers must be honestly the work of the individuals competing.

3. All answers to be addressed, not later than the 18th of each month, to the Rev. JOHN KAY, Greenbank Cottage, Coatbridge.

As a matter of convenience and economy the answers may be written on post cards. Be careful in all cases to give the name and address of the competitor.

JUNIOR DIVISION.

25. Who was the first babe who was acknowledged a member of the church on earth?

26. Which precept concerning the passover shows us that the instruction of children was one design for which that ordinance was instituted ?

27. Which command, given by Moses, required children to come with their parents to hear the law read?

SENIOR DIVISION.

25. Where do we find an example given us of the manner in which the Scriptures should be read to others?

26. Give four instances from the Old Testament where we are told that children came with their parents to the public assembly?

27. Which verse of an epistle tells us that we ought to attend public worship regularly?

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN JUly 'DaysprinG.'

JUNIOR DIVISION.

(19) Psalm viii. 2; (20) James v. 13; (21) The sweet psalmist of Israel-2 Sam. xxiii. 1.

SENIOR DIVISION.

(19) 1 Chron. xv. 22, 27; (20) 1 Chron. xxv. 7; (21) 2 Chron. xxix. 25.

THE LITTLE PILGRIM BAND.

Words and Music by
W. R. W.

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We're a little pilgrim band bound for Eden's sunny land, Where the fields are rob'd in never fading flow'rs,

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long while we sing a cheerful song, to the glo- ry of our Leader kind and true,

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Who will guide us and de-fend till we reach our journey's end, And the

Up the mountain's rugged steep, over torrents dark and deep,

Onward still we hasten tow'rds the beauteous land; And when fears our heart appal, or unwarily we fall, Then we cling more closely to our Leader's hand.

In that joyful land of light stands the New Jerusalem bright,

With its pearly gates and streets of shining gold,

lovely land of

And the many mansions grand finished by our Leader'
hand,

Which our eyes are ever longing to behold.
Chorus to last verse.

So we gaily march along tow'rds the glorious realms of
song,

Where with golden harps we'll raise a joyful lay,
And among the shining band in the happy Eden-land
We will praise our Leader through unending day.
Paisley J. AND R. PARLANE.
London: HOULSTON AND SONS, Paternoster Buildings.
The DAYSPRING can be had, post free, from the Publishers, as follows:
7 copies for 4d., or 12 oopies monthly, for one year, 68.

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WHA

HAT are we going to read about, mamma?' said little Maggie, as her brothers and sister took their seats round the table for their Bible lesson.

We are going to read the story of Moses. You and Harry like to hear it.'

'Are you going to read about his mamma making the little basket cradle for him, and spreading pitch over it to keep the water from coming in, and putting the little baby in it? I like that story, mamma.'

And Harry knows who watched the little ark floating in the river Nile?'

She

'It was Moses' own sister, mamma. was very frightened lest the crocodiles would find her little brother and eat him up, and when she saw Pharaoh's daughter take the baby out of the water, she ran for his own mamma to nurse him.'

'And who do you think it was that made Moses' mother think of making the little ark and putting it into the river with the child in it?'

'It was God, mamma. Moses' mother prayed to God to save her little son and not let him be drowned, and He made her think of the best way to save him.'

'And who heard the little baby crying, and made the king's daughter sorry for him and willing to have him for her own son?'

'It was God; for God loved little Moses and would not allow him to be drowned in the river.'

'This beautiful story shews us how wonderfully God takes care of His own people; even when they are little babies, unable to pray to Him, He hears their cry and supplies their wants and preserves them from danger. Do you know, Katie, what God's loving care of His creatures is called?'

'It is called providence, mamma.'

'What are God's works of providence? You know the answer in the Catechism, Willie.'

""God's works of providence are, His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions."

'The history of the world is the story of

God's providence; of His preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions. In what manner does God do this, Willie?'

'In a most holy, wise, and powerful manner.'

'The answer says God governs the actions of all His creatures. Does that mean that God guides wicked men as well as good men?' asked Katie.

He

You know that God preserves the life of bad men as well as of good men. is kind to the unthankful and to the evil, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. All their evil deeds come from themselves and from Satan, for only good comes from God; but God is so wise and powerful that He makes even the wicked actions of bad men to accomplish His own holy purposes. It was very wicked of Pharaoh to command the little boys to be cast into the river, and yet God made that cruel decree the means of bringing Moses to the king's palace, where he became learned in all the wisdom of Egypt, and so fitted to be the leader of Israel. Do you know, Willie, why Pharaoh commanded the infants to be cast into the river?'

'It was because he wished to make the Israelites weak, and to keep them in bondage.'

"That was Pharaoh's design; but God had decreed or determined to deliver Israel. More than three hundred years before Moses was born, God told Abraham that his descendants would be afflicted in a strange land, and that He would bring them out. This was God's decree, and Pharaoh's decree could not reverse it. You might read Psa. xxxiii. 10, 11.'

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